Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T J Pendleton and A V Smith.

Under the Code of Conduct members are reminded that in declaring disclosable interests you should make clear the nature of that interest and whether it is pecuniary or non-pecuniary.

No interests were declared.

No questions were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2019

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2019.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor N J Rushton and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2019 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to members.  He asked Cabinet to note the assurances from the Section 151 Officer and to recommend that full Council approve the General Fund and Special Expenses Revenue budgets for the forthcoming year, freeze the district’s share of council tax and transfer the budgeted surplus income over expenditure to the Self Sufficiency reserve.  He highlighted the changes to the draft budget which had been presented to Cabinet in December as outlined at Appendix B, and the increase to the Special Expenses budget as set out in Appendix C.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor N J Rushton and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The assurance statement by the Section 151 Officer be noted;

2.    Council be recommended to approve the General Fund Revenue budget for 2019/20 as summarised in Appendix B

3.    Council be recommended to approve the Special Expenses Revenue budget for 2019/20 as summarised in Appendix C

4.    Council be recommended to freeze the district’s share of council tax in 2019/20

5.    Council be recommended to require budgeted surplus income over expenditure in 2019/20 to be transferred to the self sufficiency reserve

Reason for decision: To enable the Council to set a balanced budget for 2019/20 as required by statute.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Housing Portfolio Holder presented the report to members, outlining the consultation process which had been undertaken and the revised treasury management approach after 2022 as set out in paragraph 2.3 of the report.  He drew members’ attention to a revision to recommendation B(b), that service charges would be increased by an average of 8.07%, rather than 7.96% as set out in the report.  He highlighted the projected surplus of £1.4m which would be contributed to the Loan Redemption fund, ensuring that the full provision would be in place for repayment of the maturity loans due in 2022.

Councillor N J Rushton commented that the Loan Redemption fund had accumulated the required funds 2 years ahead of the required date and in addition, new council homes were being built.  He commented that that this was a great local housing authority in a sound position. 

It was moved by Councillor R D Bayliss, seconded by Councillor N J Rushton and

RESOLVED THAT:

A.    The assurance statement by the Section 151 Officer be noted; and

B.    Council be recommended to approve the following changes to rents and charges for 2019/20:

a.    decrease council house rents by 1%;

b.    increase service charges by an average of 8.07%;

c.     maintain central heating charges at their current levels;

d.    increase garage rent by 3.3%, in line with retail price index (RPI) inflation;

e.    increase Appleby Magna caravan park ground rent by 3.3% on the anniversary of each individual rent agreement, in line with RPI;

f.      increase lifeline charges for East Midlands Housing and private customers by 3.3%, in line with RPI; and

g.    increase shop leases by an average of 14% to gradually move them to market levels.

C.   Council be recommended to approve that sufficient surplus housing revenue be paid into the loan redemption reserve in order to repay the 2022 loan commitments. 

D.   Council be recommended to note the revised treasury management approach set out in section 2.

E.    The Director of Housing and Customer Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to make any minor amendments needed to the 2019/20 HRA budget to align with any government guidance on the matter described in paragraph 4.5 issued after budget approval.

Reason for decision: To enable the Council to set a balanced Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2019/20.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to members.  He asked Cabinet to note the estimated outturn for 2018/19 and to recommend to Council the proposed capital programmes.  He highlighted that the General Fund Capital Programme stood at £12.7m for next year; £9m would be spent on the commencement of building Coalville Leisure Centre and £1.2m would be spent on Hood Park Leisure Centre in 2019/20. 

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.        The estimated General Fund, Coalville Special Expenses and H.R.A. capital outturn for 2018/19 and planned financing be noted at Appendices A, B and C

2.      Council be recommended to approve the Capital Programmes in 2019/20 detailed in:

·         Appendix A - General Fund capital schemes

·         Appendix B – Special Expenses capital schemes

·         Appendix C - H.R.A. capital schemes

And in 2020/21, these schemes only:

·         £1,150,000 for the vehicle replacement programme, as detailed in paragraphs 3.6.1 to 3.6.6

3.       The proposed procurement routes in respect of vehicles, equipment and plant be noted and authority be delegated to award these contracts and any associated agreements in furtherance of the project to the Strategic Director of Place in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, subject to final approval of the Capital Programmes in February 2019.

4.       The 2019/20 Capital Strategy included in Appendix E be approved, in line with the prudential code.

Reason for decision: To enable projects to be included in the Programmes and proceed.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to members.  He advised that the assumptions made had been reassessed following the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement announcement and final budget changes.  He explained that the revisions to the General Fund had resulted in an adverse movement in the 5 year savings target, moving it from £4.6m over the period to £5.2m.

In response to comments from Councillor R Blunt, the Section 151 Officer advised that the predicted debt requirement in future years was as a result of the potential risks and assumptions being made going forward relating to the government spending review.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT:

The Medium Term Financial Strategy be approved.

Reason for decision: To keep members up to date in respect of the council’s financial projections.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to members, drawing their attention to the forecast treasury position up to 2022 as set out in the table at paragraph 10.1.  The Section 151 Officer added that the table showed the Council was in a position to lend funds out up until 2022; in future years there would be a borrowing requirement.

Councillor R Blunt commented that he would like to see an extended projection and to consider reducing capital spend  during periods where the Council potentially had a future borrowing requirement.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    Council be recommended to approve the treasury management strategy statement 2019/20, treasury management prudential indicators - revised 2018/19 and 2019/20 to 2021/22 and the annual minimum revenue provision statement.

2.    Council be recommended to approve the proposed change in approach to redemption of HRA loans (paragraph 1.8).

Reason for decision: These are statutory requirements.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to members, outlining the new requirements for supporting local public services and earning investment income.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT:

The Investment Strategy – Service and Commercial 2019/20 be recommended for approval by Council on 26 February 2019.

Reason for decision: To meet statutory requirements.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Leader presented the report to members. 

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT:

The formal adoption of the NWL Health and Wellbeing Strategy be approved.

Reason for decision: To seek the adoption of the strategy.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder

The Leader presented the report to members, highlighting the requirement to approve a new Statement of Community Involvement and the consultation process undertaken. 

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

The adoption of the new Statement of Community Involvement as set out in Appendix A be approved.

Reason for decision: In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Cabinet is required to approve the new Statement of Community Involvement.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Leader presented the report to members, outlining the proposed changes to the existing policy to reflect the revised legislation, which would provide the Council with more robust enforcement tools to deal with rogue landlords. 

Member referred to the particular issues in Kegworth.  The Strategic Director of Place advised that there were no additional powers to deal with associated parking problems, however the issues in Kegworth were being addressed.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The licence fee increase for houses in multiple occupation, minimum room sizes and licence conditions, the use of civil penalties and banning orders be approved.

2.    Future revisions to the policy be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place.

Reason for decision:The changes in legislation have meant minimum room sizes need to be adopted and it has allowed for a review of the fee.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Leader presented the report to members. 

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The planning enforcement policy which is read in conjunction with the general enforcement policy 2015 be approved.

2. All future changes to the policy be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place.

Reason for decision: To ensure that a clear and specific enforcement process is followed in planning enforcement. 

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Leader presented the report to members. 

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor N J Rushton and

RESOLVED THAT:        

1.The proposed process for allocating the VAT reclaim into community leisure provision be supported.

2. Cabinet notes that it will receive further reports to award high value packages of funding once applications processes have been concluded and the VAT benefit secured.

Reason for decision: To seek approval to progress the process.

The officers consider that the press and public should be excluded during consideration of the following items in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 as publicity would be likely to result in disclosure of exempt or confidential information.  Members are reminded that they must have regard to the public interest test and must consider, for each item, whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption from disclosure outweighs the public interest in making the item available.

RESOLVED THAT:

In pursuance of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the business to be transacted involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that the public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Reason for decision: To enable the consideration of exempt information.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Leader presented the report to members. 

Members commented on the walking and cycling provision in and around Ashby de la Zouch, and in Coalville, and would welcome links from the new Coalville leisure centre to Snibston Country Park.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The progress and evaluation of the final tenders be noted.

2.    Cabinet notes that the highest ranked bidder will be appointed as the Council’s preferred bidder pursuant to Cabinet’s delegation to the Strategic Director of Place at its meeting on 1 November 2017.

3.    Cabinet notes that the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community Services, awards the contract and grants the leisure centre leases to the preferred bidder which will include the staff employed at both leisure centres being transferred under TUPE.

Reason for decision: To confirm the appointment of the highest ranked bidder based upon the evaluation scores.